Windows 7 Europe - Microsoft revert to Browser Ballot Screen proposal

FireFox

It appears that Microsoft could be having second thoughts about how they meet the requirements of the EU ruling -

News Press Release - Microsoft Proposal to European Commission

Microsoft has made a new proposal in an effort to address competition law issues related to Internet Explorer and interoperability.
Under our new proposal, among other things, European consumers who buy a new Windows PC with Internet Explorer set as their default browser would be shown a ‘ballot screen’ from which they could, if they wished, easily install competing browsers from the Web. If this proposal is ultimately accepted, Microsoft will ship Windows in Europe with the full functionality available in the rest of the world.

Microsoft will make available a mechanism in Windows... within the European Economic Area (EEA) that enables OEMs and end users to turn Internet Explorer off and on.

OEMs will be free to pre-install any web browser (or browsers) of their choice on PCs they ship and to set any browser as the default web browser.

Confirmed in EU statement
Antitrust Commission welcomes new Microsoft proposals on Microsoft Internet Explorer and Interoperability


The EU kindly remind everyone that this was on the table back in January but Microsoft chose to go down the browserless W7E route.

superscaper

All bloody ridiculous if you ask me. How is the antitrust commission doing its' job if it's not treating all companies equally? Apple, Sun, etc aren't being forced to do the same with their default browsers.

DatabaseError

superscaper wrote: »

All bloody ridiculous if you ask me. How is the antitrust commission doing its' job if it's not treating all companies equally? Apple, Sun, etc aren't being forced to do the same with their default browsers.

Ah..but those other companies don't have the same market share as microsoft.

I'm hoping that next time I go into a Peugeot dealership they'll ask me if I prefer an Aston Martin at no extra cost

bat999

Hi
If you're having a PC built to your own specification by an independent shop then you can dictate which software is to be pre-installed.
It will be the large OEMs such as Dell who will set the scene.
If they can see a marketing advantage in offering customers a choice of browser then OK, but probably they will take a bung from M$ and just install IE.
:cool:

FireFox

bat999 wrote: »

Hi
If you're having a PC built to your own specification by an independent shop then you can dictate which software is to be pre-installed.
It will be the large OEMs such as Dell who will set the scene.
If they can see a marketing advantage in offering customers a choice of browser then OK, but probably they will take a bung from M$ and just install IE.
:cool:

It looks like Microsoft are trying to be seen to go the extra mile with this.

The proposal suggests the Browser Ballot Screen will be delivered by Windows Update and all users (W7, Vista, XP) who have IE as the default browser will be presented with the option to go with another browser.
This is regardless of whether you specifically asked, or Dell etc. decided, to install IE as default.

bat999

@FireFox
I didn't know that. I understood that the 'Browser Ballot Screen' would just be presented during installation of the OS.

robt_2

bat999 wrote: »

@FireFox
I didn't know that. I understood that the 'Browser Ballot Screen' would just be presented during installation of the OS.

But the code has already been finalised.

FireFox

They've obviously been working on this for a long time, either side-by-side or within the finalised version. They seem to be suggesting it can be done for October if the EU hurry up and give it the OK .

robt_2

FireFox wrote: »

They've obviously been working on this for a long time, either side-by-side or within the finalised version. They seem to be suggesting it can be done for October if the EU hurry up and give it the OK .

Thats what I mean - it will probably be the first automatic update you get when you install - that is afterall how it will be delivered to Vista and XP.

Marty_J

It'll be interesting to see how IE fares when it has to compete on the same footing as other browsers.

S0litaire

The reason MS went with the Browser-less versions of Win7 was the fact they didn't want to put in Other Browsers on the install disk.

BUT their is NO browser-less version going to EU OEM's. It's up to the OEM what browser to install (the EU ruling does not affect them!) so MS are hoping the OEM's stick with IE8 at this late stage in the process.